Summer reads for 2018

Posted on 28 December, 2017

There’s nothing better than the perfect beach read or page-turner in summer.

We asked the experts at Paperchain Bookstore to recommend some store favourites and bestsellers to make things easy for you.

THE RULES OF MAGIC

Alice Hoffman

For the mysterious Owens family, love has long been a curse. Since 1620 to be exact. Ever since Maria Owens was charged with Witchcraft and sentenced 
to death there has always been one rule—you must never fall in love. Fast forward to 1960s New York where the family’s secret 
is kept by Suzanna Owens, a mother of three dangerously unique children.

Since they were young, their mother has had rules: no walking in the moonlight, no candles, no cats, no crows, no books about magic, no wearing black, no red shoes. Trying to steer her children away from the undeniable reality of their legacy becomes a fruitless endeavour, as they all end up searching for the very thing they shouldn’t—love.

A precursor to Hoffman’s first book, Practical Magic, this novel is a moving drama-romance, making it the perfect book for holiday downtime.

THE COCKTAIL GARDEN

Adriana Picker, Ed Loveday

A gorgeous collection of refreshing drinks for all occasions. Bursting with botanical delights, these recipes focus on innovative blends for all palates and don’t rely heavily on a mixture of spirits. You’ll also find a whole section
of DIY syrup recipes which are used to enhance the flavour in each drink. Enjoy the Inflatable Flamingo next to the pool, a Winter G&T by the bonfire, and a variety of cheeky margaritas all year round. Definitely a go-to for summer evenings.

THE SUN AND HER FLOWERS

Rupi Kuar

Forget the odes that put you to sleep in your Year 10 English class, Rupi Kuar is making poetry cool again with a collection of poems following her beautiful first book Milk and Honey. Kuar’s simplistic style captures emotions skilfully— there is a calming tone to the poems, as if you were breathing deeply.

She writes a lot about romantic love, but the chapter on refugees is particularly moving. Kaur’s sketches throughout add to the personal nature of the book, making you feel like you are reading someone’s beautifully- curated journals.

DRAWING SYBYLLA

Odette Kelada

In Drawing Sybylla, a young Australian writer sits on a writing panel and idles away the time by drawing the speaker, Sybil, who is delivering a speech on Elizabeth Perkins-Gillman’s seminal feminist text The Yellow Wallpaper. The young writer is pulled into this ink world with her animated depiction of Sybil, landing in imagined places and moving further into the depths of her own psyche.

Be prepared to enter a metaphysical world where reality and imagination are blurred. Drawing Sybylla unravels the complexities and sacrifices that women make to pursue their craft. It’s a deserving winner of the 2016 Dorothy Hewett Award for an Unpublished Manuscript.

TRULY MADLY GUILTY

Liane Moriarty

If you’re in a reading rut, pick up 
a Moriarty novel and be pulled instantly back into the book world. In classic Moriarty style, Truly Madly Guilty is set around an unknown incident at a barbeque that changed the lives of the guests. You’ll want to find out what happened at that barbeque so badly your eyes will jump forward on every page, and you’ll be saying, “just five more minutes” to your next commitment.

All titles available for purchase instore, paperchainbookstore.com.au

This article originally appeared in Magazine: Summer for Summer 2017/18, available for free while stocks last. Find out more about Magazine here.